1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable radio communication apparatus such as a digital mobile phone having a two-way message transmitting/receiving function for use mainly in the filed of mobile communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an additional function for mobile phones, the SMS (Short Message Service) transmitting function in two-way message transmission is specified in GSM03.40 of GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) standard of the digital mobile phone standard which constitutes one of the European Telecommunications Standards (ETS). The SMS functions to transmit a message of a maximum of 160 characters through a wireless circuit in opposite directions.
Construction of a conventional portable radio communication apparatus will be described below with reference to FIGS. 19 and 20. FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing the construction of a portable radio communication apparatus having a conventional two-way message transmitting function. FIG. 20 is a front view showing an external appearance of the portable radio communication apparatus of FIG. 19.
Referring to FIG. 19, the apparatus includes: an antenna 1 for transmitting/receiving a radio frequency signal; a radio section 2 for effecting a frequency conversion to a radio frequency or, for example, to an intermediate frequency; a modulator-demodulator section 3 operating for example in GMSK (Gaussian Filtered Minimum Shift Keying) modulating/demodulating method; a control section 4 having such as CPU, ROM, RAM for controlling the apparatus as a whole; a message memory 5 such as of RAM for temporarily storing a transmitting/received message; an operation section 6; a display section 7 such as of liquid crystal; a sound processing section 8; a microphone 9; and a speaker 10.
In FIG. 20, Numerals 6a, 6b and 6c denote a function key section, a 10-key section and a volume key, respectively.
Further, in FIG. 20, the function key section 6a includes: PWR key for performing switching on/off of power supply; STO key serving as a registering key for abbreviated dialing phone numbers; FCN key serving as a function key capable of calling various functions by a combination with numeral keys; END key for terminating a communication; P key serving as “one-touch” dialing key for an instant originating of call to already registered phone numbers; RCL key serving as a calling key for abbreviated dialing phone numbers; CLR key serving as a clearing key; and SEND key serving as a transmitting/receiving key. The 10-key section 6b includes keys for Arabic numerals of 1, 2, 3, 9, 0, an asterisk (*) key and a sharp (#) key, the numeral keys and the like serving also as character keys (A, B, C,) as shown when operating in a character input mode. However, the numerical key “0” corresponds to an operator call and is incapable of character input.
Operation of the conventional radio communication apparatus will be described below. A received message signal of SMS enters the control section 4 for its decoding from the antenna 1 through the radio section 2 and modulator-demodulator section 3. It is then displayed as a message by the display section 7 and may be recorded at the message memory 5 by an operation of the operation section 6.
A transmitting message signal of SMS may be formed by inputting one character at a time by means of the 10-key section 6b using the alphabet of A, B, C at the 10-key section 6b while confirming it on the display section 7. Upon a transmitting operation (SEND key) at the operation section 6, the formed message is encoded at the control section 4 and is then transmitted from the antenna 1 through the modulator-demodulator section 3 and radio section 2.
In forming a transmitting message with the conventional portable radio communication apparatus as described above, it has been necessary to input one character at a time through the operation section 6. For this reason, there is a problem of inconvenience that inputting of one character at a time is required even for the messages which are formed by using identical words.
Another problem is that, since only the English alphabet is indicated on the operation section 6, inputting by other languages cannot be performed.
In receiving a message, there is a problem that, while the received message is read as it is displayed on the display section 7, it is difficult to be read if the number of characters that may be displayed on the display section 7 is small.
Further, if the receiving side is absent, a problem of inconvenience occurs in case of an emergency, since no response will be received by the party originating the message and no transfer will be made.
Furthermore, there is a problem that it is impossible to find out when the message was received or originated, since no function is provided for concurrently recording the time of receiving and originating at the time of receiving/transmitting a message.